Apple has released the Mac mini SMC Firmware Update 1.0 via Mac OS X's Software Update utility and on the Web. The System Management Controller (SMC) is a chip on the logic board of Intel-based Macs that controls several functions, including: telling the computer when to turn on, turn off, sleep, wake, idle, and so forth; handling system resets from various commands; and controlling the fans. The updater application will be installed in your /Applications/Utilities folder and will launch automatically after restart. Apple also released SMC firmware updates for the Intel-based iMac and MacBook Pro.

Ah ha! I'm not going nuts. I've posted previously about my Mini's weird sleep (or not) habits. This morning at 6:30AM when it was supposed to go back to sleep after waking at 3:00AM to do periodics, it had a cpu Halt and I came in to find it shut down. It also hasn't been sleeping as scheduled if I'm logged off. I finally selected Sleep Never today... but wouldn't be surprised if it did sleep sometime tonight. I've reset the SMC twice so far.

I'm going to hold off on this update until this morning's reinstallation of the OS is complete. I've been doing a lot of playing around with older applications, networking, etc, and I'm not convinced the latest security update hasn't caused me some problems. I intended to rebuild it from scratch once I was through playing, but decided to go ahead and see if it clears up some problems._________________Moe
1.66GHz Core-Duo Mini, 2GB/120GB, Apple 23" Cinema HD Display
Apple Wireless Keyboard & Mouse, Apple iSight Camera
Apple USB Modem (for faxing), Bose Companion 2 Speakers
2.0GHz white MacBook 1GB/80GB

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An update: it turns out that it's just my keyboard (a fancy Kinesis one) that is no longer responding. Unplugging my mouse from the keyboard, and plugging it directly into the computer, allows the mouse to work.

Still, I didn't hear the fan spin up yet. I doubt the firmware went in correctly. I'll see if I can connect up a different keyboard and retry the firmware installation...

Did you get a message on the restart saying the update was complete? I would try resetting the SMC again by unplugging all the cables (every last one of them) connected to your Mac mini. Let your mini sit for like a minute, plug everything back in, and restart. The only issue I encountered after the update was with my Apple Remote. I had to pair it again with the mini.

Did you get a message on the restart saying the update was complete? I would try resetting the SMC again by unplugging all the cables (every last one of them) connected to your Mac mini. Let your mini sit for like a minute, plug everything back in, and restart.

Thanks, that did it. Yeah, I didn't get a message saying the update was complete; I'm not entirely sure what was going on. Anyway, after unplugging and replugging lots of cables, and starting the SMC update over again, I finally got the little screen telling me to restart one more time (and I did hear the fan spin up this time), and finally the message stating that the update completed successfully.